Film heating elements comprising a layer of an electrically conductive metal are known such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,564,709 to Mochel which is herein incorporated by reference. Such film heating elements have typically been used for defrosting circuits on vehicular window assemblies. Other types of film heating devices are known, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,645 to Mio et al., which is herein incorporated by reference.
Film heating elements have not found acceptance within the appliance industry although several film devices have been disclosed such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,889,974 to Auding et al. and 4,298,789 to Eichelberger et al., both of which are herein incorporated by reference. This is believed to result from a lack of reliability and serviceability associated with most contemplated film heating elements. Thus, there is a need for an assembly utilizing a film heating element that is both reliable and serviceable. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide a film heating assembly that could be readily adapted and utilized in a wide variety of appliance applications.